The Kids Table

This week, Gunnar and Jen catch up with Dose Khan, the Houston-based trainer and owner of Khango Gym who first got connected to us by cold-DMing Gunnar a decade ago and ended up crashing on his guest house couch after one too many tequilas. Dose walks us through the wild road from getting locked out of his first training space on Christmas Eve, to building a name for himself training pro athletes out of a five-star Houston hotel. The conversation gets real fast: the $20K supplement deal that fell apart and the fear he felt admitting to Gunnar that he was taking on a $1.2 million buildout for his new space with no guarantee it would work. Dose opens up about betting everything: his savings, his time, his family's trust on a vision nobody else could see yet, and what it took to keep going after being burned by investors and partners along the way. They dig into what it actually means to bet on yourself when nobody else will, why the "popular circle" and the "winner's circle" aren't the same thing, and how his whole family has become part of the business itself. Whether you're weighing your own leap into something bigger or just need reassurance that the hard road is usually the right one, this episode is equal parts business lessons, family story, and a masterclass in betting on yourself. Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the show! TRAINHEROIC: Trusted by top coaches since 2012. Plans start at just $10/month– And you get your first 14 days free. Head to trainheroic.com/thekidstable to start your free trial now. LETS GET SOCIAL: Gunnar: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gunnarfitness Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GunnarFitness Website - www.gunnarpeterson.com Jen: Insta - https://www.instagram.com/jenwiderstrom Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JenWiderstrom Website - www.jenwiderstrom.com Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ironjenn The Kids Table: Insta - https://www.instagram.com/kidstablepod TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@kidstablepod Dose: Insta - https://www.instagram.com/dose_khango/?hl=en Website - https://thekhangoway.com/meet-the-team/dose-khan/ About Dose Khan: Dose built his career in fitness the hard way. One relationship, one hustle, and one setback at a time. After getting his start training clients out of a first location he was eventually locked out of on Christmas Eve, he found his footing training professional athletes out of Houston's five-star Post Oak Hotel, working with NFL players and traveling teams passing through the city, including stints supporting the Lakers on the road. A cold DM to celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson years ago turned into a lasting mentorship that Dose credits as one of the biggest turning points in his career. In December 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Dose opened Khango Gym, a family-run training facility built from the ground up with almost no outside investment. What started as pop-up outdoor sessions during Covid lockdowns grew into a full-service gym known for its custom-built equipment, immersive design, and unapologetically personal brand. Khango Gym is truly a family business: Dose's wife, sister, brother, and brother-in-law all play a role in running it, alongside a locally owned supplement line the family built together. Dose is now in the middle of Khango Gym's next chapter, a major buildout and expansion he describes as the biggest bet he's made on himself yet. Known for his high-energy training style, his loyalty to the people who've supported him, and his refusal to play it safe, Dose is proof that betting on yourself and your family pays off. Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN) YouTube – (‪@TheCastCollective‬) Instagram – (https://www.instagram.com/TheCastCollective) TikTok – (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)

This week, Gunnar and Jen sit down with Shane Wallen, who spent a decade as a strength and performance coach in Major League Baseball before walking away this past off-season to open a Nashville location of the iconic social performance club, The Kollective. Shane gets candid about the real math behind pro sports coaching pay across the NFL, NBA, and MLB, the lack of a pension for strength staff after years in the league, and how losing his father last November made him rethink what he was actually trading his time for.From there the conversation moves into what it actually looked like to leave: the phone calls he made, the players he didn't want to let down, and why he now describes it the same way Gunnar once did leaving the Lakers, missing the clowns, not the circus. They dig into building a client-first coaching philosophy, why so many good coaches undercharge for what they're worth, and what it means to build an "environment, not a gym" as he gets ready to open the doors in Nashville.Whether you're weighing a similar leap out of a team setting or just want to hear how a decade in pro sports shapes the way you coach everyday people, this one's full of real talk on money, family, and building something of your own.Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the show!TRAINHEROIC: Trusted by top coaches since 2012. Plans start at just $10/month– And you get your first 14 days free. Head to https://www.trainheroic.com/thekidstable to start your free trial now. About Shane:Shane Wallen has spent his career in the trenches of elite performance — first as an athlete, then as one of the most trusted strength and conditioning voices in professional sports. A former walk-on running back at Oregon State University, Shane worked his way from an internship on the strength staff to a scholarship spot on the football team, a path that set the tone for everything that followed: outwork the doubt, and don't take no for an answer.That relentlessness carried him into a decade-long career at the highest level of professional sports, holding performance and strength coaching roles with the San Francisco 49ers, the Cleveland Browns, the Chicago Cubs, and most recently as Head of Performance for the Detroit Tigers. Along the way, he built a reputation for a coaching philosophy rooted in relationships — treating every athlete interaction with the same care whether it was year one or year ten, and never losing sight of the person behind the performance metrics.After nearly ten years in professional baseball, Shane made the decision to step away from the team setting to build something of his own — trading the travel and the front-office politics for time with his wife and family, and a shot at creating the kind of community-driven training environment he'd always envisioned. That vision became The Kollective Nashville, a private performance and recovery space built for high performers — founders, entrepreneurs, athletes, and everyday people alike — who are looking for more than just a gym. As Shane puts it, "we create environments, not gyms."Alongside running The Kollective, Shane advises several performance and wellness brands, including Aion, Pathwater, and Speede Fit. He's a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and holds a degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Oregon State University.Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)YouTube – (https://www.youtube.com/@TheCastCollective)Instagram – (https://www.instagram.com/TheCastCollective)TikTok – (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)

This week, Gunnar Peterson and Jen Widerstrom welcome Shawn Melland and Bo Sandoval for another special SORINEX Summer Strong conversation that starts with coaching and quickly turns into something much more meaningful. Fresh off an impromptu presentation at Summer Strong, Bo shares what it feels like to step into the spotlight with only hours to prepare and why great coaches should always stay "within striking distance" of their craft. From communicating under pressure to finding flow, the group explores what separates experience from true mastery and why the best lessons are often the simplest.The conversation then shifts into the story behind (https://www.instagram.com/work.built/), the friendship between Shawn, Bo, Colton and Josh, and why surrounding yourself with people who challenge, encourage, and genuinely see you can change the trajectory of your life. They dig into mentorship, purpose, serving others, and the transition from chasing personal success to helping others reach theirs.Along the way, they trade stories from the UFC Performance Institute, hunting trips, Summer Strong, celebrity training, Top Gun dates, and plenty of laughs, all while circling back to a common theme: the people you choose to build with matter just as much as the work itself.Whether you're a coach, athlete, entrepreneur, or simply looking for your next challenge, this episode is a reminder that the best journeys are rarely taken alone.Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the show!TRAINHEROIC: Trusted by top coaches since 2012. Plans start at just $10/month– And you get your first 14 days free. Head to https://www.trainheroic.com/thekidstable to start your free trial now. Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)YouTube – ( @TheCastCollective )Instagram – (https://www.instagram.com/TheCastCollective)TikTok – (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)

We’re back this week, live from Sorinex (https://www.sorinex.com/), and pull up our chairs with Jon Heck and Gabe Watson for a conversation that starts with rivalries and ends up somewhere much more useful. Jon walks through his shift from NFL and college strength coaching to his Hammer and Chisel Performance Podcast(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hammer-and-chisel-performance-podcast/id1835141652) and running his own business full-time built on every coach's favorite training app, TrainHeroic (https://account.trainheroic.com/create-account). Gabe shares the story behind his first full-time college gig, as a former player who has seen what every division of college football looks like, landing an assistant role at Colorado State after a DM to a coach he barely knew turned into a job offer within 24 hours, and talks about navigating the whirlwind of college strength and conditioning, where a single phone call can mean packing up your life within days. From there the group digs into the power of just showing up and following up at industry events, why authenticity matters more than looks or a jacked physique when it comes to being an effective coach, and the so-called "sleeper build" debate: can a coach who isn't shredded still be great at their job? They also get into staying the authority in the room with clients, giving yourself grace after a missed lift, and why leaving a job the right way always comes back around.Whether you're a coach navigating team vs. private sector, or just someone building a personal brand in fitness, this one's packed with real talk on relationships, reinvention, and staying in your lane.Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the show!TRAINHEROIC: Trusted by top coaches since 2012. Plans start at just $10/month– And you get your first 14 days free. Head to trainheroic.com/thekidstable to start your free trial now. LETS GET SOCIAL:Jon Heck:Insta - (https://www.instagram.com/what_the_heck71/?hl=en)Youtube - (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMfKtcEK85qgSOB7rKdUmpw)TrainHeroic - (https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/brand/Hammer%20and%20Chisel)Gabe Watson:Insta - (https://www.instagram.com/gabe_watson_33/?hl=en)About Jon Heck:My name is Jon Heck. I played football at the University of North Carolina where I was a 4 year starter and 2x All-ACC selection at offensive tackle for the Tar Heels. I graduated with a degree in Exercise Sport Science, and immediately received certifications as a nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach. I began my career as a strength and conditioning coach and spent nearly a decade working in football strength and conditioning at the NFL and Division-1 college level, as well as working in the private sector at a combine prep facility. I competed at a high level in powerlifting and strongman, and have always been passionate about strength sports in general. A big part of my educational background is in nutrition, and that has been a large component of my coaching in football and the private sector.About Gabe Watson: Gabe Watson was added to the Colorado State football strength and conditioning staff in January of 2026. It will be his first full-time role in the field.He spent the past two years working at Nebraska in football development performance in a quality control role. Previously, he did an internship in football performance at Texas.Watson played at Sioux Falls, were he gained 1,980 career yards as a running back with 27 touchdowns, and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award (D2's Heisman Trophy) in 2018. Finished his playing career at Texas, playing two seasons.Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)YouTube – (‪@TheCastCollective‬)Instagram – (https://www.instagram.com/TheCastCollective)TikTok – (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)

Another year, another (https://www.sorinex.com/). Former NFL offensive lineman John Welbourn joins The Kids Table at this year’s SS19 conference for a conversation that goes far beyond football. Alongside Kids Table veteran Ed Streit, John reflects on what happens after the game ends and why the best competitors never stop finding new mountains to climb.The conversation traces John's path from a decade in the NFL to helping build CrossFit's athletic training methodology, launching Power Athlete, and mentoring the next generation of coaches and athletes. The four of them explore confidence, career transitions, leadership, and why collaboration always beats competition when you're focused on playing the long game.John also opens up about his own battle with brain injuries after football and the years he spent searching for answers. He shares the mindset that helped him rebuild, the lessons he's learned about health and longevity, and why curiosity has become one of his greatest competitive advantages.Whether they're talking about coaching elite athletes, supporting friends instead of competing with them, or finding purpose after reaching the highest level of sport, this episode is packed with perspective on what it means to keep growing long after the scoreboard disappears.Pull up a chair for a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and why the strongest competitors are always willing to become students again.Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the show!TRAINHEROIC: Trusted by top coaches since 2012. Plans start at just $10/month– And you get your first 14 days free. Head to trainheroic.com/thekidstable to start your free trial now. LETS GET SOCIAL:John Welbourne:Insta - (https://www.instagram.com/johnwelbourn/)Facebook - (https://www.facebook.com/powerathlete/)X - (​​https://x.com/johnwelbourn)Website - (https://powerathletehq.com/)Ed Streit:Insta - (https://www.instagram.com/strengthcoach_ed)X - (https://www.x.com/strengthcoached)About John Welbourn:John Welbourn is a former NFL offensive lineman, entrepreneur, and one of the most influential voices in modern strength and conditioning. After spending 10 seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, John transitioned into coaching and education, helping bridge the gap between elite athletic performance and everyday training.He is the founder of Power Athlete, a coaching and education company that has trained thousands of coaches, athletes, and tactical professionals around the world. Known for his direct approach and deep understanding of performance, John has become a respected authority on strength development, leadership, resilience, and life after professional sports.Today, John continues to educate through seminars, online programming, and his Power Athlete podcast, where he explores everything from human performance and health to business, mindset, and personal growth. His work is driven by one belief: the pursuit of strength extends far beyond the weight room.Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)YouTube – (‪@TheCastCollective‬)Instagram – (https://www.instagram.com/TheCastCollective)TikTok – (https://www.tiktok.com/@castcollective)